


who is winning

by petals42_tumblr (rosepetals42)



Series: Check Please Tumblr Fics [3]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Bitty and Parse start to understand each other, Gen, Homophobia, Jack and Parse are friends, M/M, Parse has a sad basktory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 18:32:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7725220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosepetals42/pseuds/petals42_tumblr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>But he opens the door slowly to see Kent Parson sitting on the edge of their bed, head down, hat off, both hands curled around a puck in his hand. His shoulders are slumped and seem to shudder on the inhale, like maybe he is crying and he hadn’t bothered to turn the lights on. </em>
</p>
<p>  <em>Bitty’s anger doesn’t leave him, exactly, it just… It gets transformed. Into confusion, maybe, or something like concern. </em></p>
<p>*^*^*^</p>
<p>To celebrate the Falconer's Stanley Cup win, Bitty and Jack throw a party. Bitty isn't happy when Jack invites Parse, but in the end, they understand each other a little more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	who is winning

**Author's Note:**

> my headcanons for Kent Parson, tbh.

Okay, so here’s what I’ve been thinking about for the past few days (and it is NOT going to turn into anything real or long, for real this time) but let’s just imagine–

Jack and the Falconers win the Stanley Cup in Jack’s third year. It is glorious and magical and Jack and Bitty decide to throw a party to celebrate the victory. They are not out to the public yet, but they are out to the Falconers and the Samwell Crew and really everyone who is important so they are going to celebrate in their own home and get very tipsy and probably very handsey and it will be all their favorite people in the world in one place.

Bitty is excited. Very excited. All the Falconers are coming and the SMH team is all coming (so it is also kind of a mini-reunion and he doesn’t even complain too much when Ransom and Holster declare they are bringing a keg) and the Zimmermann’s are flying back down to be there and all the boys will be off their stupid diet plans so Bitty is going to cook _everything in the whole world_  with the knowledge that it actually will be eaten (because Tater _and_  Snowy are coming and good lord, Bitty thought 11 pies was enough but he should probably make a few more…)

It is going to be the perfect party, Bitty has already decided. And it is shaping up to be.

Until a few days before, Jack gives him a kiss as Bitty is making their morning coffee and says:

“Hey, I just heard that Parse is going to be in the area. So I invited him to come to the party, I hope that’s okay. I mean, he does know about us and I haven’t managed to see him out of games since last April.”

And Bitty takes a beat to take a breath and pulls a smile to his face and the rule was that Jack could invite anyone he wanted because this was _his_ victory party and Jack and Parse are “friends” now and, okay, okay, fine Kent _Parson_  is going to be in his house.

That’s fine. 

He is not going to let it ruin his night. That’s what Bitty decides. He and Jack have talked about Kent, especially in regards to Jack’s past and Jack has always maintained his “we were both young and stupid but he is a great guy” and now he knows that Jack and Kent text occasionally - mostly about hockey things or media days or whatever - and to Jack, Kent is in the “old friend” category of life. Not even really an ex anymore. Just an old friend.

(An old friend, who the day after Jack’s Stanley Cup Victory had texted: “took you long enough, bro” and Jack had laughed even though how fucking _rude,_ honestly–)

To Bitty, Kent Parson is the boy who ruined a perfectly good epikegster by saying _horrible_  things to Jack and who is a smug, spoiled, asshole and Bitty has held his tongue about Kent Parson because he doesn’t want to look like the jealous boyfriend who can’t accept that his boyfriend has an ex. And because he’s _not_  jealous.

He just hates Kent Parson. Because Kent Parson is not nice. Not to Jack or to anyone. He can’t believe the man is going to come to his _house_. 

But he’s not going to let it ruin his night.  

The beginning of the party is wild. The SMH is all staying over so they had arrived first and Bitty should be a little bit embarrassed but by the time the _actual_  party starts, most of his old teammates are already well on their way to being drunk and it turns out that the “welcoming yet _classy”_ vibe Bitty was going for was never going to happen. 

It feels more like a college party. Lardo and Bad Bob are setting up a beer pong table. Shitty didn’t make tub juice but he did make a gin bucket. Tater arrives with vodka and Poots gets chirped into oblivion for wearing a suit (”like a fucking NERD!!”), but Jack is grinning and laughing and in the end, that’s what matters. 

Kent Parson turns up late. As usual. 

He arrives in expensive jeans with an expensive watch, probably in an expensive car and he is still wearing a stupid hat and Bitty excuses himself to go check on the food because it’s not exactly like Epikegster (there are _tons_  of famous NHL players instead of just him) but there’s a buzz. Because that’s what Kent Parson _does._  He makes an entrance. He grins and jokes and teases and just–

Ugh. Kent Parson. 

Bitty ignores him and Kent doesn’t seem to be avoiding him but he doesn’t say anything to him either – which, _rude,_  Bitty _is_  the host of this party (along with Jack) and he is Jack’s boyfriend but, okay, Kent, you go play beer pong with Tater like you already own this house. That’s fine. 

Bitty does manage to ignore him for a little while. He gets caught up talking to Shitty and then a drunk Bad Bob wants the step by step instructions on how he made this buffalo chicken dip and there’s a piggyback race in the backyard and Bitty gets roped into being Tater’s partner while Shitty climbs aboard Jack. He and Jack get to team up for a round of beer pong after that and they lose but Jack is drunk enough to want to “kiss him for good luck” before every shot and so–

It is a good hour and a half after Kent Parson arrived that Bitty looks around and realizes that he has no idea where the man is. He is not by the food or the beer pong table and he’s not in the living room where Shitty is holding court (leading a discussion about… well, Bitty can’t tell. Something about the role of men in feminism and also birds?? who knows. Poots looks fascinated though.) 

Basically, Kent Parson has disappeared and Bitty would assume that he just rudely left without even saying thank you but then he looks down the hallway and sees that the door to him and Jack’s room is slightly ajar.

Which it hadn’t been. Because they had closed it in an effort to keep people out and _everyone_  knows that you don’t go _sneaking through the hosts’ bedroom_  and, honestly, this is the last straw.

Bitty pushes the door open, semi-quietly only because he wants to catch Kent Parson in the act. He is ready to yell a little, ready to maybe even lecture, ready to demand “Excuse me, but _what_  are you doing here” and it’s going to be great, getting Kent Parson to apologize for always being such a _douchebag_  but–

But he opens the door slowly to see Kent Parson sitting on the edge of their bed, head down, hat off, both hands curled around a puck in his hand. His shoulders are slumped and seem to shudder on the inhale, like maybe he is crying and he hadn’t bothered to turn the lights on. 

Bitty’s anger doesn’t leave him, exactly, it just… It gets transformed. Into confusion, maybe, or something like concern. 

Whatever it is, it has Bitty stepping forward and closing the door behind him, flicking on the lights as he does. 

It’s a strange thing, to watch someone try to force themself back together. Kent’s eyes flash in panic at seeing Bitty there and he freezes only for an instant before he is ducking his head while he stands, swiping at his eyes as if he _had_ been crying and it’s alarming, still, when Kent Parson turns to look at him and he is wearing the same grin he has been all night. 

“Hey,” he says, attempting to shove the puck he’s holding into his pocket. He has hat hair. He seems to realize this at the same time as Bitty and fumbles to grab his hat from the bed and cram it on. “Hey, great party, man.”

He speaks just a hair too fast to be natural and his eyes are still a bit red and his voice is.. strained. Shaky. Like he was just crying and could again if he let himself.

“What are you doing?” Bitty says and it was supposed to be an angry question. It was supposed to be an accusation. It was supposed to be _What are you doing in our bedroom?_  and more than that, it was supposed to be _Why did you bother coming?_  or _Why are you such an asshole?_  but it comes out soft and gentle and it comes out _Are you okay_?

“Got lost on the way to the bathroom,” Kent says. The lie comes out smoothly. It’s his eyes that gives him away. They cut to the door in panic. “Sorry, bro.”

Bitty is not Kent’s bro. He is not Kent’s friend. He is not Kent’s anything. 

Well, maybe his enemy. But he doesn’t think Kent knows that.

“There’s a bathroom right there,” he says, pointing. The door is open. It’s clearly visible. It’s not the one they wanted guests to use but he calls Kent on the lie. 

“Oh,” Kent says. “Oh, yeah, uh, I-”

“Do you want to sit down?”

“No, no, dude, I’m- I’ll just–”

“Your puck is on the ground.”

Kent jumps at that and his casual attitude disappears and it’s– something stabs in Bitty’s chest to see him drop and grab the puck as if it is gold and he finds it after a second but Bitty moves quickly and takes the time to sit on the end of the bed. 

He looks down and Kent doesn’t look up at him at first, just stays where he is crouched, fist curled around the puck. 

“Sit,” Bitty says. It’s not a question this time. Kent obeys. 

“Are you okay?” Bitty asks, aloud this time and he realizes as soon as he says it that is the wrong question. Kent straightens and grins harder and Bitty sees the lie on the curve of his lips before it ever comes out.

“Of course, man, why wouldn’t I–” Bity glares. He stops and coughs. “Hell, Jack wasn’t joking about that glare. It does almost make you look big enough to be a real person.”

It’s supposed to be an insult that gets Bitty to back off. Or at least to switch tracks.

Bitty does neither. 

“What is it?” Bitty asks, nodding towards the puck. He would assume it’s one of the ones he and Jack have on the top of their bookshelf but he already looked up and checked. It’s not one of theirs.

“Nothing,” Kent says, all challenge. His eyes are still wet though. 

“Well _nothing_  has you fallin’ to the floor like a fish to get it,” Bitty says, taking the bait just a little. Kent stiffens. He softens his voice again. “Seriously, what is it?”

“It’s… it’s stupid,” Kent says, his voice dropping into something small. Bitty has never associated the word with him before. Bitty doesn’t say anything, just looks over at him.

“Really, it’s not–”

“C’mon,” Bitty says, huffing a little. “Just tell me. Stop being an asshole.”

He means it as a chirp, maybe even a gentle one but Kent flinches.

“But I am an asshole,” he says. His smile has gone impossibly sad, mouth twisting it into something unrecognizable. “Haven’t you heard?”

Bitty doesn’t know what to say to that exactly because Kent is sad but Bitty would be the first to say that it’s true, that Kent is an asshole and one _maybe_ sincere moment doesn’t just make that go away but–

“Just tell me. I know it’s not one of ours.”

“Ours?” Kent’s eyes flick up.

“I played in college, remember?” Bitty says. “My first hat trick and our Championship puck are up there too.”

“Right,” Kent says. “Zim- Jack texted me about that. Congratulations.” 

Bitty hadn’t known that Jack told Parse when Samwell won with Bitty as the captain. He hadn’t known that Kent could sound so sincere either. 

“So,” he says, getting them both on track. “The puck.”

“Our first game together,” Kent admits. “It’s– we both scored two points and it… it wasn’t a big deal but we got the puck. But then we didn’t know who should take it.”

He is smiling now- different from before. It’s soft and sweet. 

_Loving_ , Bitty admits to himself. He and Jack have been dating for three years. He can admit that.

“At first it didn’t matter,” Kent says, still looking down. “We were living together and playing together and rooming together and– were together.”

He glances over at Bitty then.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” It’s the first time Bitty feels he could honestly say that. 

“But, well, we knew we were going to go to different teams and so we agreed to.. share it. Whoever was winning got it.”

“Winning?” Bitty asks.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Kent says, shrugging one shoulder. “Just… winning. I’ve had it for a while now. Years. He- he, uh, mailed it to me. After. The draft. No letter or anything but I though it meant we could still be…”

His throat closes then and despite everything, Bitty feels for him. Kent seems smaller now. Younger. And for just a moment, Bitty can picture it.

Kent moving to Las Vegas alone. Kent not knowing how Jack was doing and not hearing from him while he was in rehab and then getting the package. Nothing in it except an old puck and deciding to keep it safe. For years.

“I probably should have given it to Jack when he joined the Falconers but I didn’t. And now…”

“You were going to give it to him tonight,” Bitty says. 

“Yeah,” Kent says and the side of his mouth pulls into what could be a smile. “I guess… not that it matters.”

“Of course it-” Bitty starts.

“He probably doesn’t even remember it,” Kent says and his voice comes out angry. Angry and low and there it is– the Kent Parson that Bitty remembers. 

Bitty’s not sure where it’s directed this time though. Maybe at himself and before he can figure it out, it’s gone. 

“It’s okay,” Kent says, even as his hand curls around the puck again, hard enough that his fingers go white. “It’s good, that he has all these people who–”

He stops and takes a breath.

“They all know?” he asks, eyes flicking to Bitty’s. “About you guys?”

“Yes,” Bitty says. He and Jack had managed to hide it for approximately four months before they gave up. They started with the Samwell crew and waited only until the end of the season to tell the Falconers. Everyone important knows. Everyone important supports them.

Kent jerks his head into a nod.

“Cool,” he says, going for a grin again. “Cool, seriously, that’s– good. For you guys. That’s good.”

“Does anyone know about you?” Bitty says. He feels bad that he’s never thought about it before. Some part of him assumed that Kent was at least bi. That maybe he actually liked the girls the press was constantly pairing him with. 

“Me?” Kent says, sounding honestly surprised by the question. “No, no one.”

“That-” Bitty knows more than anyone what it is like to be in the closet but Kent is Jack’s age. Kent is twenty seven and Kent is the captain of the Las Vegas Aces and won the Stanley cup already and Kent makes an instagram for his cat and smirks at the press and Kent doesn’t _care_  about anything. Except maybe himself. Kent is… _Kent Parson_. He can’t help but be surprised. “I-” He stops. He has no idea what to say.

“I mean, I guess my old captain knows,” Kent offers. “I told him. When I got to the Aces. Jack was… Jack was sick and I couldn’t focus and he pulled me aside to… check in I guess and I ended up telling him everything.”

Bitty can picture that too. Even though he doesn’t want to. 

“He told me to keep it quiet,” Kent says. “He– ‘I don’t care but others will.’ That’s what he said. He told me to ignore it and focus on hockey and there isn’t time for relationships anyway. Not if you want to be the best.”

“That’s… that’s _awful_ ,” Bitty says. He feels a moment of rage. Towards this Aces ex-captain even though he doesn’t even know his name. 

“It wasn’t bad,” Kent says. “I mean, he helped me, I guess. Kept me on the ice longer so I was too tired to think about it. Warned me if I was… you know, getting too friendly with one of the others. And he didn’t tell anyone. Not even after he got traded and I got the C. He could have ruined my career right then if he wanted. He didn’t. He’s a good guy.”

He’s not a good guy. He is the _literal opposite of a good guy_. 

Bitty wants to tell Kent that but has no idea where to even _start_. 

“Plus he was right,” Kent says. “I mean… I thought he was right. Except now… Now Zimms has the Cup and there’s a whole house of people who don’t– and you.”

His laugh is a weak, wet thing.

“God, I fucking hate you,” Kent continues, looking over. It sounds like a compliment. “You and your baking and your accent and this- this fucking house. I mean, _honestly_ , there are curtains everywhere.”

Bitty doesn’t know when he teared up but when he smiles, a few tears spill down his cheeks.

“I like curtains,” he says. 

“They’re stupid,” Kent tells him. “Kit would destroy them in a second.”

“If it helps,” Bitty says. “I hate you too.”

“Yeah,” Kent says, smile dropping from his face. “Yeah, but you hate me for good reason. I- I’m an asshole. Everyone knows it.”

“You don’t have to be,” Bitty says. 

“Yes, I do,” Kent replies, looking away. “I- I really do.”

Bitty closes his mouth and they sit. They sit for long enough that Bitty doesn’t feel weird when he reaches over and touches Kent’s hand until the hockey player twists his wrists so Bitty can see the tape stretched along the puck.

‘ _First game together,’_ it reads in Jack’s untidy scrawl. ‘ _To be kept by the person who is winning.’_

_‘AKA ME!!!!!’_  Bold letters proclaim along the bottom. Bitty snorts a laugh. Thinks for a moment how good Samwell would have been for Kent. How well he would have fit in. 

He wonders what Kent would be like if his captain had said “Oh cool, bro!” and thanked him for trusting him with the moment and told him not to be scared. 

“You should come visit,” he offers, releasing his grip on Kent and looking away from the puck. “Take a break from being a total douchebag.”

Kent goes still and looks at him. “Really?”

“Sure,” Bitty says. “Bring Kit.”

“You know, I–”

“Kent,” Bitty interrupts. “Just be polite and say thank you.”

Kent coughs. “Okay,” his smile is sincere for just a moment before fading into a smirk. “Thank you.”

Bitty regrets this already. 

“Though, I’m… I am sorry,” he offers, looking away again. “About… what you heard. At that party. And everything else.”

It’s not really okay. Except… it was years ago and Jack has long since let go of it and–

“Bitty!!” Jack bursts into the room and he is probably a little drunk. His hair is mused like maybe he’s been wrestling with Shitty (or maybe Tater) and he is grinning. “Bitty, we need you, Ransom and Holster are–”

The mood of the room hits then. Jack goes quiet and still, the same way he does before a game. And, again, Kent straightens and Bitty watches as he covers the puck with his hand and goes for his usual smirk but Bitty puts a hand on his shoulder and holds him in place while he stands.

“Hey, Jack,” he says and then because Jack looks concerned, kisses him as he walks over. “Parse has something to give you.”

Jack looks confused. But Bitty simply smiles and nods and shuts the door behind him as he leaves.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
